Red f lags have been raised, particularly in Europe, about the hijacking by terrorist groups of vehicles carrying dangerous cargo.Flammable cargoes such as gas can be used as mobile bombs with devastating impact, while terrorists could also tamper with vaccines and other medicines before introducing them into the marketplace. The digitisation of f leet management and the connectivity of vehicles have introduced a new level of risk. While systems such as GPS tracking, telematics and Internet of things (IoT) devices have introduced new levels of efficiency and insight, they also open the door to cyber threats like hacking, data breaches and ransomwareThe list of cargoes that can be targeted by terrorists includes explosives, gases, f lammable liquids, f lammable solids, spontaneous combustibles, oxidisers, organic peroxides, toxic substances, infectious substances, radioactive materials and corrosives.Security specialists warn that the threat is real and growing. According to an IBM survey, the transportation and trucking industry was the eighth most targeted for cyberattacks in 2023.According to the World Economic Forum, there has been a 467% increase in the number of maritime organisations that have paid ransoms after a cyberattack over the past year.Security experts warn that vehicles carrying dangerous goods in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are at risk of being targeted.Clayton Vhumbunu, senior lecturer in the department of political studies at the University of the Free State, warns in a recently published book that, while the SADC has been one of the more stable African regions, there has been a rise in security threats, including terrorism, in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique.The threat was first recognised by SADC leaders in 2016 when the SADC Counter-Terrorism Strategy was adopted.A regional counter-terrorism centre was established in February 2022.Fleet operators are advised that in order to reduce the risk of hazardous cargo being targeted by terrorists, they must implement strict access controls and surveillance at transport facilities, and advanced monitoring technologies to detect unauthorised access.Onboard vehicle systems should be protected from unauthorised access. Trucks, which are always connected to monitoring systems, are targets for hackers. Secure communication protocols and tamper-proof hardware reduce this risk. Ongoing training and maintaining awareness of all personnel, including drivers, is critical. It is estimated that up to 95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error. They must also ensure that all software and hardware control systems are regularly updated.ER
